By Alasdair Fotheringham Madrid, Spain, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Alberto Contador beat fellow Spaniards Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez to win his second Vuelta a Espana title on Sunday. Contador proved that he was still a force to be reckoned with following a two-year doing ban, which ended four weeks ago, by winning his fifth Grand Tour victory. The final 115 kilometre stage from Cercedilla to Madrid was won by Germany's John Degenkolb...

TRE CIME DI LAVAREDO, Italy, May 25 (Reuters) - Giro d'Italia leader Vincenzo Nibali rode through a snowstorm to claim his second stage win in the race on Saturday to stand on the verge of overall victory with one stage remaining. The Italian broke away with 2.5 kilometres to go on the race's last summit finish at Tre Cime di Lavaredo, overtaking earlier breakaways to finish with around 17 seconds' advantage over Colombian Fabio Duarte. Colombia's Rigoberto...

NAPLES (Reuters) - Britain's Mark Cavendish won the first stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 130-km ride in Naples, to snatch the overall leader's pink jersey on Saturday. Italian Elia Viviani was second and France's Nacer Bouhanni came home third. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ed Osmond)

COL DU GALIBIER, France, May 19 (Reuters) - Italian Giovanni Visconti won the 15th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday on the Col du Galibier climb in France. Colombian Carlos Alberto finished second with Przemyslaw Niemic of Poland in third place. Italy's Vincenzo Nibali retained the overall lead before Monday's second rest day. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Editing by John Mehaffey)

MARINA DI ASCEA, Italy, May 6 (Reuters) - Italian Luca Paolini won the third stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 222-km ride from Sorrento to take the overall leader's pink jersey on Monday. Australian Cadel Evans was second and defending champion Ryder Hesjedal of Canada came home third. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)

BARDONECCHIA, Italy, May 18 (Reuters) - Italy's Mauro Santambrogio won the 14th stage of the Giro d'Italia, a mountain top finish after a 163-kms ride on Saturday. Santambrogio beat compatriot Vincenzo Nibali, who came second in the same time and extended his overall lead after his rivals lost ground. Colombian Carlos Betancur was third, nine seconds off the pace according to provisional results. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Editing by Julien Pretot)

FORIO, Italy, May 5 (Reuters) - Team Sky won the second stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 17.4-km team time trial, with their Italian rider Salvatore Puccio taking the overall leader's pink jersey on Sunday. Movistar finished second on the island of Ischia, with Astana in third. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Editing by Julien Pretot)

MARINA DI ASCEA, Italy, May 6 (Reuters) - Italian Luca Paolini won the third stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 222-km ride from Sorrento to take the overall leader's pink jersey on Monday. Australian Cadel Evans was second and defending champion Ryder Hesjedal of Canada came home third. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)

MADRID, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Alberto Contador of Spain won the 2012 Vuelta a Espana cycling race on Sunday. It was the fifth Grand Tour win for Contador, who returned from a two-year doping ban on Aug. 6, and his second Vuelta win after victory in 2008. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Editing by Clare Fallon)

FORIO, Italy, May 5 (Reuters) - Team Sky won the second stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 17.4-km team time trial, with their Italian rider Salvatore Puccio taking the overall leader's pink jersey on Sunday. Movistar finished second on the island of Ischia, with Astana in third. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Editing by Julien Pretot)

PONTEVEDRA, Spain, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Sweden's Fredrik Kessiakoff won stage 11 of the Tour of Spain on Wednesday, a 39.4-km individual time trial from Cambados to Pontevedra. Spaniard Alberto Contador finished second with Britain's Chris Froome third. Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez retained his overall lead but is just one second ahead of Contador with Froome in third, 16 seconds behind the leader. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham, Editing by Justin...

NAPLES (Reuters) - Britain's Mark Cavendish won the first stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 130-km ride in Naples, to snatch the overall leader's pink jersey on Saturday. Italian Elia Viviani was second and France's Nacer Bouhanni came home third. (Reporting by Alasdair Fotheringham; Writing by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ed Osmond)